Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Joe Rogan

Public opinion and media debates around Joe Rogan—discover key moments of controversy.

Joe Rogan is an American podcaster, UFC color commentator, comedian, actor, and former television host. He is best known for hosting The Joe Rogan Experience, a highly popular podcast. Since 2020, it has been the most streamed podcast on Spotify, achieving widespread popularity and influence in the podcasting world.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1993: Accusation of joke thievery

Since 1993, Joe Rogan had been accusing comedian Carlos Mencia of joke thievery.

2005: Accusation of joke thievery

In 2005, Joe Rogan wrote a blog entry accusing comedian Carlos Mencia of joke thievery.

February 2007: Confronted Carlos Mencia on stage

In February 2007, Joe Rogan confronted Carlos Mencia on stage at The Comedy Store in Hollywood, resulting in Rogan being expelled by his talent agent and banned from The Comedy Store. He then signed with William Morris Agency.

2010: Accusation of Joke Thievery Against Dane Cook

In 2010, Joe Rogan accused comedian Dane Cook of stealing jokes.

April 2021: Contentious Remarks about COVID-19 Vaccines

In April 2021, Joe Rogan made contentious remarks about COVID-19 vaccines, claiming young, healthy people do not need vaccination, drawing criticism from health experts and media outlets.

September 1, 2021: Rogan Tests Positive for COVID-19

On September 1, 2021, Joe Rogan tested positive for COVID-19 and began a regimen including monoclonal antibodies, prednisone, azithromycin, NAD drip, a vitamin drip, and ivermectin.

January 2022: Open Letter from Scientists and Healthcare Workers to Spotify

In January 2022, 270 scientists, physicians, and healthcare workers wrote an open letter to Spotify expressing concern over misinformation on "The Joe Rogan Experience" and asking for a clear policy to moderate misinformation.

January 24, 2022: Neil Young Demands Removal of Music from Spotify

On January 24, 2022, Neil Young posted an open letter demanding Spotify remove his music if they would not remove "The Joe Rogan Experience" due to concerns about misinformation.

Loading Video...

February 4, 2022: Spotify Removes 70 Joe Rogan Episodes

On February 4, 2022, Spotify removed 70 episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience, which pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic, after speaking with Rogan about his "history of using some racially insensitive language".

February 2022: Spotify Removes Episodes of "The Joe Rogan Experience"

In February 2022, Spotify removed 113 episodes of "The Joe Rogan Experience" due to perceived racist and insensitive language in some episodes.

February 2022: Controversy Over Racial Slur Usage and Apology

In February 2022, singer India Arie shared a compilation of Joe Rogan saying the racial slur "nigger" on "The Joe Rogan Experience" on Instagram, leading to an apology from Rogan.

April 2022: Comments on Transgender Athletes

In April 2022, Rogan criticized transgender women in women's sports, including MMA, and referred to transgender swimmer Lia Thomas as potentially "the woke straw that breaks society's camel's back". He also critiqued transgender martial artist Fallon Fox, citing bone structure differences. Rogan expressed support for trans people's rights but acknowledged differing opinions on the issue in April 2022.

October 2022: Litter Boxes in Schools Hoax

In October 2022, during an interview with Tulsi Gabbard, Rogan promoted the debunked conspiracy theory about public schools providing litter boxes to students who identify as cats. He later acknowledged a lack of evidence but falsely claimed ongoing discussions about the idea.

February 2023: Comments on Jewish People and Money

In February 2023, Rogan stated on his podcast that the "idea that Jewish people are not into money is ridiculous", defending Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. The Anti-Defamation League condemned his comments as promoting antisemitic tropes about Jews and money.

February 2024: Promotion of Debunked AIDS Claims

In February 2024, during a podcast with Bret Weinstein, Rogan promoted the false claim that party drugs were a key factor in AIDS and that the antiviral drug AZT was more lethal than AIDS. He and Weinstein praised AIDS denialist Peter Duesberg. The American Foundation for AIDS Research criticized the podcast for spreading misinformation.

March 2024: Rogan Describes Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip as a "genocide"

In March 2024, Joe Rogan described Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip as a "genocide", but later acknowledged he might not be fully informed on the topic.

April 2024: Lawsuit Filed Against Onnit

In April 2024, a lawsuit was filed against Onnit, alleging that its 'Alpha BRAIN' supplement performed no better than a placebo in a clinical study and that the product was surrounded by "false, misleading and deceptive advertising".

November 2024: Criticism of Putin, Biden, and Zelenskyy Regarding the War in Ukraine

In November 2024, Joe Rogan criticized Vladimir Putin's leadership as "evil" but "impressive", called the Russian invasion of Ukraine "100% wrong", and criticized Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the conflict, leading to accusations of repeating Russian propaganda.

2024: Supported and criticized Donald Trump

In 2024, Joe Rogan initially supported Donald Trump but later criticized some of his policies.

January 10, 2025: Joe Rogan Interview with Mark Zuckerberg

On January 10, 2025, Joe Rogan released an interview with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, where Zuckerberg claimed that the Biden administration pressured Facebook to remove posts alleging side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine.